A Magnolian Legend
by MMBC
Summary: A dragon rider. A demon's son. A spiritual leader torn between choices. A demon woman in love. A guild rising against an empire seized by darkness. A tale of heroes and traitors, of love and loss. WARNING: GrayxNatsu yaoi pairing.
1. Prologue

Author's note: Premiere for summer (because I probably will be writing exponentially more when I'm not working my arse off for exam, although I won't guarantee updates). Ideas and settings generally will be based on Eragon/Tolkien verses. The main pairing will be Gratsu, so if you're not alright with that, I am sorry, but this story is probably not for you (although there will still be a fair bit adventure/fantasy). Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters. I do not own Eragon, Lord of the Rings, the Hobbits, or any of the ideas and setting belonging to J. R. R. Toklkien.

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**Prologue**

The forest was dark before him, the sky cloudy and the moon peeking behind thick blankets of condensation. It was dangerous to run in such treacherous conditions, he knew, but run he did, for what choice did he have? Gray was being hunted like a deer, a pack of demon dogs hot on his trail. Even amongst the dins of the forest, the thundering of metal clashing together as the demons rushed after him overwhelmed the rest of the noises.

_Faster, idiot! Faster!_

His feet carried him through the dense vegetation like a sparrow, weaving his way between the clawing branches. The soles of his feet were aching, and his toes were undoubtedly bleeding from when he had stubbed them against a tree root earlier. Yet, Gray knew he had been lucky until then. There could have been a hole on the ground for him to break his ankle at, or a low-hanging branch could have poked his eye out, him not being able to see even five feet in front. But Gray was still there, very much alive, and still running for his life.

Or he could simply stop and fight. But Gray knew it would be futile – there were simply too many of them, and all his running would have been a waste of time then if he did die fighting. Gray refused to give up.

Like a ghost gliding over the ground he ran, his breath fogging before him and his skin a stark white that glowed in the dark. It would have amused him but for the dire situation he found himself in – because, why, were he a ghost, he wouldn't have been exerting himself so much then. Were he a ghost, he would have been long dead, and what a grand jest that would have made.

_Left, right, avoiding a root, over a fallen log. They're drawing nearer!_

The sounds of chase were advancing with every second, and still Gray ran, stubbornly refusing to let despair slow his legs. Once or twice he stumbled, but before his body could even his the ground, he regained balance to once again fly forward.

_Into the stream, going a distance, so the dogs may lose your scent._

The absurdity of the situation would have made Gray laugh were he not so occupied right then. Gray would live, he swore, if only to spite his father, the man who had set his dogs on his own son. And not just the barking dogs, he noted, though their incessant yammering 'the great Gray' this and 'ingenious prodigy' that before any of this happened had been close enough to barking. One day, he thought, the barking dogs he would spare, but the barking human dogs he would have their tongues to shut them up.

But then it was barking that he heard, coming from the east, and the west, and behind him so, so close. So he kept running forward; there was only one way forward now. The trees were clearing, the dirt road evening out into grass that soothed his aching feet like the kiss of a lover. In hindsight, perhaps the change should have alerted him to what was ahead, but it did not, and all the more pity. Gray was caught by surprise as he skidded to a halt, a cliff plunging into an endless abyss straight ahead.

The other side of the chasm could not be seen; that was how wide the crack in the earth was. There was only darkness, and as he stepped to the edge to gaze down, a black denser than rock greeted him. It made his stomach drop with both nausea and despair – or, perhaps, nausea caused by despair.

'Ice Make: Ladder!'

He slammed a fist into an open palm and pressed them against the edge of the cliff. _Don't stop. Can't stop. Too much too late now._ From his hands, ice started materialising. It grew like vines on a tree, stretching out towards the darkness in glittering blue magic, down and down, until Gray lost sight of his own ice. And yet, he kept the magic flowing, pushing himself to the limit and hoping against hope that his ice would hit bottom at some point. The ice ladder along the edge of the cliff grew and grew, but when the running and barking got too close, Gray had to cease the effort without ever feeling his ice make contact.

With a growl of frustration, he swung himself over the edge and onto the ladder.

'Stop!'

The voice was familiar, and Gray gritted his teeth. He knew the voice; of course he knew – he had grown up with it all his life, after all. It wasn't enough to stop him, though, and he began his descend as fast as he dared, two or three rungs at a time, until that, too, vanished into thin air beneath his fingers in the blink of an eye.

His heart jumped to his throat as his body lost balance and fell deeper into the darkness, before his hands found the rocky cliff and groped for purchase even as he was mercilessly pulled down to his death. His fingers bled as they tried to cling to the rough surface, and maybe his nails were ripped away as they caught on the protruding points of the rock. Or maybe that was his bones he felt, the flesh on his fingers having peeled off against the unforgiving hardness.

The fall happened for perhaps a mere three seconds, but it had felt like forever before the torn tips of his fingers felt a crack in the rock and dug into it, his whole body jerking to a halt before swinging and smashing against the cliff wall. There was an almost inaudible pop, before pain flooded the arm holding him against the surface. It almost made him let go, except for the fact that Gray had resolved not to surrender, not even if he died in the process. So he swung the other arm up and found another protruding point to hang onto, before letting his dislocated arm fall uselessly to his side. Even the movement made it hurt, but Gray would not cry out – he would not let his father's dogs have the satisfaction of hearing his pain. His canine dug into his lip, and Gray felt almost victorious as the taste of blood dulled the searing burn in his shoulder.

'Gray! You alright down there?' The familiar voice resounded again just as the clouds moved away. When silver moonlight poured forth in waves as bright as day, he could see dark hair flowing over the edge of the cliff in streams, smooth like silk and beautiful. Only one person he knew had hair like that. 'Hold on tight; we'll come down to get you.'

_Speaking as though you weren't the one who just turned my ice into thin air, of course._

The bitter thought flashed through his head, before sadness replaced it for a brief moment. The person he had grown up with, and who had treated him like a younger brother. And then Gray was angry, because this very person was the one leading the chase for him, the very one who had vapourised his ice without a care whether he would fall to his death, the very one who would present him to his father like a prized captured beast.

_I'd die before I surrender._

But Gray didn't want to die; not just yet. There were things, important things that he still needed to do before dying, such as actually succeeding in betraying his father and not merely playing at chase as he would have been doing were they to capture him now. So he held on tighter with his good arm, before jerking the other back in hope of fitting his bones together again. There was another pop, but instead of numbing down to the throb he hoped it would, the pain intensified, his bone apparently having been moved even further from the socket. The blinding flash of agony through his mind turned his vision black, but Gray refused to faint then and there, and then never open his eyes again.

_I'd die before I surrender._

Blood was running freely down his chin from the harsh bite he inflicted on his own lip to keep quiet. It was paralleled by the trickle down his arm from the tips of his fingers, where he still stubbornly clung onto the rock, his only lifeline. Oh, Gray _was _stubborn – he could be a mule if he wanted, even if it meant pain beyond belief. And yet, this time he wondered if it would save him from either letting go or getting captured in the end. What a grand joke it would have made; killed by the woman who swore to be his sister for all of eternity on the order of the father who should have protected him as his blood. That, or eventually killed by his bloody father when the dogs hauled his sorry arse back before him.

_Thump._

Just as Gray's vision was beginning to blur, the white of the cliff blending into the darkness beneath, the beat sent his heart fluttering to a halt before surging into a painful staccato against his chest. It was an ominous feeling, as though something beyond imagination was approaching, and fast. Gray blinked away the sweat in his eyes, ears straining in an attempt to make out that quiet but powerful echo again.

_Thump._

The air shifted, and heat started driving the chill of night away. From nowhere, the wind blew in violent gusts over the precariousness of his swaying body, and Gray's fingers numbed into a throb as they gripped the rock so tight that blood stopped flowing for a moment. Whatever it was, it was a chance for Gray to move away, if he had the strength for it.

_Thump._

Blood roared in his ears as the air pressure grew with the unbearable beats. Breathing suddenly became so very difficult with the way his lungs pressed in on themselves and the way his heart hammered almost violently against his ribs. Gray was feeling faint again, despite his every effort to stay lucid. He was angry at himself for being so helpless when opportunity knocked on his forehead, virtually inviting him to seize the change in circumstances to escape. Yes, anger only tired him out, and by then he was so, so weary already.

_Thump._

And then, rising from darkness, was the most magnificent creature he had ever seen. Scales glittering like rubies, wings spanning a translucent wine-red, the dragon rose as an emperor claiming its throne in the sky, its rightful seat. Its head alone was large enough to fit five of Grays into its massive jaws – if there _were_ five Grays, that was – and right then, if Gray had died, there wouldn't have been even one Gray left in the world, much less five. What struck him, though, were its eyes. Ruby red eyes with silken slits in the middle stared straight into his own as though sucking the soul out from him. Never had Gray seen such luminous substances as those eyes; to compare them to the Northern stars would be doing those eyes a grave injustice. And too trite, too, but then again there really was no word to describe the terrible beauty of the regal creature in front of him. It was a sort of powerful awe that struck fear into the bottom of one's heart.

Gray was anything but fearful, though; instead, all he felt was hilarity because, finally, something good was happening to him this blasted night. Now, with any luck, he would escape, too, though the thought seemed to be hidden behind a thick veil so far away he found exceedingly difficult to grasp. Even the brilliance of the dragon had failed to keep his attention for more than a fleeting moment, his mind reeling from lack of air and exhaustion.

With a roar that shook the earth, crimson fire spilled forth from its mouth, bathing the abyss in a light so bright it blinded Gray for a long, long instant. It really was beautiful, he thought, the lost legends of the dragons that had once walked Earthland. And, just perhaps, it was worth it to see the walking dead once more before he met his own end – Gray was hurting, and just so, so tired.

_I'd die before I surrender._

But even that single thought, his guiding light, was fading. He could feel the tips of his fingers slipping by the seconds. Movement caught his eyes, and through the blur clouding his vision Gray saw something pinking and tan shifting, before irises darker than night met his own for a split second.

_Fierce eyes_, he thought vaguely, _pretty – like a dragon's_.

His fingers failed him; Gray fell and black again claimed his vision.


	2. Chapter 1: A Warm Welcome

Author's note: Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following. I appreciate it. Here is the first chapter. With how long each chapter seems to be running, I can't really promise the regularity of updates, but since it's the summer, I will strive to keep it reasonably periodic. Enjoy.

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**Chapter one: A Warm Welcome**

Natsu cringed when Erza swatted at his head with an armor-covered hand again. His head whipped forward with the force of the blow, and he could feel another bump forming, adding to his already impressive collection.

'By taking a stranger into our hidden base, you have endangered all of Fairy Tail, Natsu. I cannot believe how reckless you were in this folly of yours. What would you have done were he an enemy spy? He could have seized the chance while you were carrying him to kill you, and take control over Igneel, too!'

'I am not so inept as to be taken advantage of by a mere child as that boy, my child Erza.' Igneel's low rumble shook the room, and Natsu grinned at his adoptive father in triumph while the fiery woman before him looked down in shame.

'But Erza is right in this matter, Natsu. I tried to discourage you from taking a stranger into our base, yet you would not listen. Would you care to explain yourself now?'

This time, it was Natsu that the huge ruby red eyes turned to. Igneel blinked lazily, and yet his gaze penetrated straight through Natsu's soul. He suddenly felt naked even while having closed his innermost thoughts away from the dragon; that, and chastised. It was rare that anyone could make him feel guilty, but when they did – as Erza and Igneel had been doing – Natsu often wished there was a hole to swallow him up. The one thing that Natsu the dragon rider was afraid of and despised more than anything in the world, was to disappoint those he held dear. It was exactly what he had been doing.

'I… I don't know, Igneel.' He told the truth, and all of it, because Natsu really didn't know. 'What if he's a good person who was really being hunted by the demons? We _have to _save him; isn't that what Fairy Tail is for? Saving the good and destroying the bad?'

'That is true. However, you have not stopped to consider the consequences of your actions should this man turn out to be other than the good person you assumed. Therein lies your biggest fault, Natsu. We are fortunate that no one is here yet to destroy the Guild Hall and capture us all.'

The stern look Erza directed at him made Natsu feel small as his guilt weighed heavier. He hated the feeling, for he was certain he had the right of it. They'd have all been just a bad joke at hypocrisy were he to ignore someone in need like then! And yet, at the same time, doing the right thing disappointed the both of them.

'I just thought we could always put him in a cell later if he _does _turn out to be an enemy.' But Natsu opted merely to mumble out his response, because he knew better than to enrage Erza further.

'Yes, Natsu. That is why we already have someone guarding his room.'

'That matter aside, I also disapprove of alerting the enemy to my presence so near to the entrance of the base.' Igneel's powerful voice echoed again, and in the vast space of the main hall it reverberated like a thunderstorm. 'You must remember that we guard one of the many entrances to Era, seat of the fairy tribe. Today, we killed all those who saw us. What, though, would our fate be tomorrow, should something like this happen again?'

'Yes, Igneel, I shall remember.' Almost petulantly, Natsu muttered, even though inside, he knew his adoptive father was right. He had forgotten how important the Guild Hall was, and the thought of his own incompetence made him angry.

Watching Natsu's rare apologetic manner, however, must have appeased Igneel, for the great dragon closed his eyes and turned away at last.

'Go to the boy you have rescued, then. I shall have no one expend extraneous energy on your account.' Then, the dragon's stance seemed to relax just a little, before he glanced at Natsu with pride in those bottomless eyes. 'You are a righteous young man. You need to learn to think before you act, but I commend you for your kindness. Never lose sight of it, my child.'

Erza seemed to have more to say, but she held her tongue in the dragon's presence. With a frown, she asked Igneel whether they could have a further discussion regarding the security of the entrance of the Guild Hall, something about enhancing Levy's charms even further in view of the new dangers posed. Natsu knew he was dismissed.

The corridor to the room housing the stranger was brightly lit, despite the heavy stones paving the floor, walls, and ceiling. After all, everyone in Fairy Tail enjoyed the light, being exposed to so little of it in this Guild Hall deep under the ground, the entrance being a tunnel leading out to the bottom of an abyss where sunlight never reached. The dancing flames, however, didn't lift Natsu's foul mood. He was ready to blame it on the stranger, who was the cause of his troubles. Natsu knew he would always rescue a person in need, regardless of who he would turn out to be in the end. But if he never came to the cliff, Natsu wouldn't have had to save him, or encounter those demons. It was entirely his fault!

_Although he _did_ have pretty eyes – like the night sky._

The thought came unbidden, and Natsu was taken aback by the abruptness of it all. It was true he had admired plenty of things, like Igneel's powerful wings, his immense wisdom, Erza's scarlet hair, her indomitable strength, Levy's intelligence… Never before, though, had he been struck so deeply upon such short contact, for their eyes had met but only for an instant. And yet, that brief instant had been enough for Natsu to admire a strength as he had never seen before in a single gaze.

'I must be losing my mind.' He told no one in particular, before hurrying towards the room to dispel the disturbing thought.

At the end of the corridor was an oak door, in front of which one of his guild mates, Macao, was standing vigil. The man waved cheerfully when he saw Natsu approaching.

'Natsu! What are you doing here?'

'Taking responsibility. Or something. Sorry for making you do this.'

The appearance of a non-judgmental face calmed him from the confusion that had been making him uneasy for the past few moments. Natsu found it in him again to smile at the man despite his mental exhaustion.

'Don't apologise for doing the right thing. Despite what Erza may say, I still think you did well at upholding the Fairy Tail spirits.'

'Thank you; I appreciate it, truly. You can leave now; I'll take the post.'

They exchanged one last grin, before Macao pushed himself away from the wall with an exaggerated stretch. The reassuring words had brightened Natsu mood again – he supposed he really was so simple as to change his view so quickly like that. In the end, though, it didn't matter, so long as he had a family who forgave his mistakes and supported his decision. He knew that Erza, too, would eventually come around to letting the matter go, for she still loved him despite her harsh words.

The door creaked as he pushed it open to a windowless room. It was a sparse room converted into a makeshift infirmary, and if needed, a cell. There was a chill to it, the walls being made of stone and the warmth in the hall being barred by the thick door. At one corner, there was a bed, upon which lay the cause of his troubles. Natsu walked towards it and took up the bedside chair.

The stranger was different from everyone Natsu had met. He was too pale, his hair too black, his blue eyes too dark. Even as he lay immobile on a sickbed, the man radiated a sense of strength and danger. It woke the curiosity in Natsu; it was true, no one embodied contraries better than the man lying before him as grace and power warred for dominance in the tensing of his resting countenance. The white of his skin was stark against the way his black hair fanned on the pillow, and the contrast hurt Natsu's eyes so much, it drew Natsu in like a moth to flame. It irritated him – never had Natsu been so confused as he was then, watching a complete stranger who was not even aware of his presence.

'We just met, and somehow you already gained me an earful from both Erza and Igneel.' He started complaining good-naturedly, knowing that his words fell upon deaf ears. 'You owe me a lot, bastard.'

To Natsu's surprise, as soon as he finished his sentence, the man started twitching and moving in an uncomfortable manner. His brows drew up tight as the corners of his mouth turned down into a deep frown, his jaws squaring when he gritted his teeth.

Without thinking, Natsu leaned forward and placed a hand on his shoulder to shake him awake. A blink of an eye later, though, he found himself on the floor, a forearm at his throat and wide blue eyes in front of him. It was then that the pain in his back and his head registered; he must have hit them hard when the man flipped them over and landed on the floor. Suddenly, anger flared within him, and in a similar move, he flipped them over again. His throat burned from when it was crushed against the stone, but Natsu ignored the pain in favour of glowering at the man beneath him.

'Calm down. You are safe here. We mean you no harm.' He hissed down at the bastard while holding him down by the wrists. What Natsu didn't expect, however, was the buck that nearly threw him off. With a grunt of effort, he pressed his weight down even more on the slighter man, before growling into his face. 'Stop fighting me!'

'Then release me! You said I was safe here!' The man growled back, before pulling his head back and head-butted Natsu in the forehead. The blow took him by surprise again, and before he could regain his composure, a knee had made its way between their bodies. Not a moment later, Natsu found his world spinning, before he landed on his feet at the other side of the room.

Like a wolf, the stranger before him had already assumed a defensive stance, his back hunching and his eyes a glare full of warning. Natsu could see they way his long fingers curled into fists, before the barest flinch crept upon his arms. _That's right, you were injured. And I bandaged your fingers up, too, ingrate. _And yet, the man would not release his hold, instead bravely bearing the pain. It was almost worthy of admiration, if not for the stupidity of his mulishness.

'Like I said, you are safe here. Stop aggravating your wounds.' Finally, exasperation won over, and Natsu relaxed his own stance. He spread his arms in a gesture of peace, 'Look, I apologise for touching you. On my honour as a dragon rider, I promise not to harm you. Satisfied?'

The guarded look remained for a long instant, before it dropped into wide-eyed recognition.

'I saw you!' The stranger exclaimed, 'That cannot be true! Dragons have been dead for centuries!'

'Are you calling me a liar?!' Again, Natsu's temper flared. He could not believe the audacity of this man who doubted his words even when he himself admitted that he had seen Natsu. For his part, Natsu knew that that moment when they exchanged that gaze was real. With how shaken it left him, though, he had wished that it hadn't been so.

'No, I… That is… My apologies.' The man seemed to falter for a brief moment, before red crept up his pale cheeks. It could even have been described as pretty were he a woman.

_He's _blushing _in shame? _Natsu thought incredulously even as his heart thumped out of sync at the sight. He brushed the odd feeling aside, though, when the wary bastard lowered his defences at last and uncurled his fists. The tips of his bandaged fingers were already peeking red again, the idiot undoubtedly having worsened his wounds.

'You really did save me, then.' He spoke as though in wonder, before putting a hand on his forehead. 'Oh by the gods, then the dragon, your dragon…'

'Is real, yes. And he's not my dragon. More like, my adoptive father who happens to be a dragon who happens to let me be his rider after my mother died.'

'Your mother?'

'She was his original rider, or so I heard. I can't remember; she died when I was very young.' Speaking about his past, though, made Natsu uncomfortable. He was surprised at himself for sharing information so freely with a stranger he could not even be sure wasn't an enemy. Perhaps he really should heed Igneel's advice to _think_ before opening his mouth or letting his body do the talking for him. 'Enough of this. Why don't you take a seat and let me look at your fingers? They were in bad shape when I last saw them.'

Mistrust again passed through the dark of the man's eyes, and he took a moment longer to think before silently nodding and sitting on the bed again. As Natsu turned to retrieve the water basin and bandages on the table in the other corner of the room, he could feel eyes following his every movement. The implication that his honour as a rider meant so little to this person irritated him, but Natsu knew it was a foolish notion. Any reasonably sane man would mistrust a complete stranger who brought him to a windowless stone room. In fact, it was indeed odd that the man had not demanded to know where he was yet.

'Why did you save me?' The question rang in the quiet of the room as Natsu took the man's hands into his own to unwrap the bloody bandages. 'You don't know me.'

'I don't know you. And I don't know why I saved you, either. Igneel, my father, I mean, said that it's because I acted without thinking. You could call it an instinct to reach out when you see someone falling, perhaps.'

'The folly of a straightforwardly good man, then.' There was almost a sneer in the drone of the man's tone, but before Natsu could snap back a reply, the gratitude came in a voice so soft that it shocked him into silence. 'I thank you, then. It's rare to see such a good person nowadays.'

'My pleasure, I guess.' The silence that followed stretched out awkwardly, so Natsu spoke just to fill it with noise, 'When I said I would not harm you, you believed me.'

'I witnessed with my own eyes you rising from the abyss with your dra- father. I know what I saw. When you said you were a dragon rider, I know you were speaking the truth, much as I am inclined to believe otherwise. If the word "honour" still has some meaning, well, your honour as a rider is better than an empty promise, I suppose. By the gods, who would've thought…'

The words were cut off as the man ground his teeth together when Natsu poked at the torn tips of his fingers. Blood was oozing out sluggishly from the mangled flesh. Most of the nails were missing, and on a finger or two Natsu could even see the white of bone beneath the bloody mess. Despite Natsu's best efforts to pick out the rock fragments earlier, these wounds would not close themselves. His skin was a little warm as well, perhaps feverish from the start of infections to his wounds despite all the cleaning they received. This man truly needed a healer, who was unfortunately not present right then. It was a pity, but it seemed they would have to wait until Polyushka was back from her trip to Era.

'Bear with it for a while. I'll be cleaning the wounds.'

To his credit, the stranger made no sound even as Natsu drizzled water over his fingers, the red dripping onto the floor into bloody little streams. To take his thought away from the gruesome sight, Natsu focused on how the white hands fitted well with his own. Long-fingered hands, with a boniness that lent a certain air of grace to them, they were a nice contrast against Natsu's own broad hands with his square-tipped fingers. The thought, though, was disturbing in itself, so Natsu pushed it aside and focused his attention on wrapping new bandages around those long fingers.

'I didn't ask before, but I suppose there's no point in asking where we are?'

'Indeed. You'd be stupid to think I'd tell you that, especially after you've seen my father. Somehow, I don't think you're stupid, though.'

It was perhaps also to the man's credit that he kept his composure even after waking up in a strange place with a stranger. The sense of acceptance from this apathetic man may even have worried Natsu, although he would die before admitting that. Whatever effect this stranger was having on Natsu, it was unnatural enough as was. Natsu could feel rather than see thin eyebrows rising, before a strained chuckle echoed through the room.

'A foolishly good man with strong opinions, I see.'

'And if I hear "folly", "foolish", or any such insult from you one more time, you can bandage your own hands.' Natsu threw back without much heat. That only got another chuckle out of the strange man.

'As you wish, my good man.'

'_Your _good man?' Natsu raised an eyebrow of his own, before pressing the linen a little harder than before. To his petty satisfaction, _that _got a wince out of the stoic man.

'Not my good man, then. Do you have a name, or do I call you dragon rider?'

'I'm Natsu Igneelson. Or Natsu Dragneel, depending on where you're from. People from the East demand a family name, no matter what.'

'I see. Well, I am Gray. Pleased to make your acquaintance, though that depends on whether you see me as a threat, I suppose.'

Natsu frowned at the response. He finished tying the linen, before gently placing the hands back onto Gray's knees.

'Just Gray? Do you not know your father? Or your family name?'

'Just Gray.' The smile that flashed across that pale, pale countenance was sad, and half bitter. 'My father disowned me, well, sort of, anyway.'

'Oh.' Natsu did not know what to say. 'I'm sorry to hear.'

He really was sorry. No child should be disowned by his or her parents. As a child who never got to know his parents himself, he craved to know that familial love. In his imagination, it must be a warm and gentle thing that soothed the soul. Or, perhaps, a safe haven to turn back to, just as Igneel was to him. Now that he had attained it from the least expected adoptive father, he dreaded to think one day to lose it.

His thought must have shown on his face – after all, Natsu was famous for wearing his heart on his sleeve – for Gray smiled a real smile this time. And it was a beautiful thing, if a man could be described as beautiful. The hard lines of his face almost softened as his eyes curved upwards just that little bit in happiness. It made Natsu want to smile himself, though perhaps that would have been inappropriate, as Erza liked to say.

'_Natsu, child.'_

Igneel's call broke him out of his thoughts. He had forgotten that Igneel could link to his mind.

'_Yes, Igneel?'_

'_Are you with the stranger you rescued?'_

'_Yes. He has awakened. Maybe if Erza has time now, she could come see him and determine what to do with him?'_

In truth, Natsu found himself a little disappointed at the prospect of having a frightening woman decide whether Gray was an enemy. If he were, he would undoubtedly be imprisoned, or worse, put to death. Gray was a good man, though; every fibre in Natsu's body told him so, and he trusted his instincts.

'_Erza will not be making the final decision; you know that Fairy Tail's leadership consists of three. However, it may indeed be best to have her make a preliminary assessment of the situation. Very well, I shall speak to her.'_

'_Thank you, Igneel. I'll keep watch on him in the mean time…'_

Much as he tried, Natsu could never control his thoughts perfectly. His hesitance must have reached Igneel, for the felt a gentle probe from the dragon's direction.

'_What is it, son?'_

'_I… Igneel, Gray's not a bad person. Please don't let them kill him.'_

'_Gray?'_

'_The stranger's name. I spoke with him.'_

There was a silence, and Natsu feared his father was angry. After all, despite all the warnings he had received not so long ago, he was being reckless again in speaking to a stranger without permission. Sometimes he wondered if he really was stubborn, or just plain stupid in not listening to his father's teachings.

'_I can feel you are emotionally attached to this stranger. That is a dangerous thing, son, though I suppose you already know. I cannot determine what to do with him, for I am merely a counselor here at Fairy Tail. However, I could offer to examine his mind, if he would allow me. That way, we may be able to determine his true intent in coming here. Natsu, you must take care not to let your kindness be your downfall as a dragon rider. Much rests on your shoulders.'_

'_I know. I am sorry.'_

'_I shall see you in the great hall, then. And this Gray, if he does agree to come.'_

The presence of Igneel's mind receded into a dull throb at the back of his mind, and Natsu breathed a sigh of relief. At least his father would support this folly of his.

'Natsu?'

He turned to Gray with a grave expression, before standing to take the water basin away.

'Perhaps you had best be prepared. Someone is coming down to question you.'

'Down? So we're in a dungeon?'

Natsu wanted to slap himself at the slip. He truly, honestly, should _think _before speaking. This man was dangerous, he knew it, and his instincts knew it. By all accounts, he should have been more careful with his mouth and what went out of it.

'Don't look so stricken now!' Gray's laughter rang like bells despite the gravelly quality to it. 'It was a wild guess. I'm not like to be able to do anything, anyhow, though you probably should have put me in chains.'

Dark eyes caught Natsu's gaze for a long moment as Gray sobered from his humour. The light crinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out, and Gray regained his nonchalant mask in a heartbeat. In front of him, Natsu could see Gray's long fingers tightened over each other into a grip that would have pressed against his freshly bandaged wounds again. It displeased Natsu to see his hard work treated with such disregard.

'I have one last question. You do not have to answer it, although I would appreciate it if you do. What happened to my pursuers?'

Natsu tried to debate in his head whether he should answer. His simple mind came up with no reason why he should not, though, so he shrugged and answered anyway, probably against his better judgment.

'Igneel and I had to kill them all. They saw us.'

Pain flashed across those dark eyes so quickly that Natsu almost thought he had imagined it, yet he knew it was real. Gray was good at keeping his neutral mask, but he wasn't perfect. He was hiding something; it was possible that this man was even related to those demons somehow, for him to show an emotion other than relief at the news of their demise. For the first time, the gravity of his actions truly struck Natsu. He had brought a stranger to the Guild Hall, a stranger who he knew for a fact to be dangerous. And yet, here he was, divulging more and more information to this man who called himself Gray. He did not even give a family name. Natsu suddenly felt foolish for doing what he did, and even more so for feeling what he felt.

'Perhaps you'll kill me too, in the end. I've seen you and your father, after all.'

The quiet jape may have touched Natsu before, for Gray was clearly in pain and trying to hide it. It still did touch Natsu now, despite all the harsh words he mentally berated himself with. And the fact that Natsu was affected by it was what made him angriest of all. It was like salt to an open wound, as though Gray could play Natsu as a stupid marionette to his stupid beautiful hands. It made Natsu feel helpless in a way he had never known possible, even before the mighty Erza, and so he lashed out the only way he knew how.

'Maybe I will. If they find you to be an enemy, well, you shall see _with your own eyes_ what a dragon rider can do.'

For a brief while, it had been gratifying to see the look Gray threw him. It was a hurt look, as if he had been betrayed by a trusted friend. The thought made Natsu want to laugh, before it made Natsu want to slap himself again for his own cruelty. Of course Gray had trusted him; he even lowered his defences and let Natsu tend to his wounds. He had let Natsu touch him on a promise made when they had scarcely interacted with one another other than in physical violence. For a man so reserved and cautious, it must have meant a lot. And yet, Natsu had mocked his words.

'Gray, I didn't mean…'

'No, I know what you meant, Natsu Dragneel. After all, it must have been hugely entertaining to see an imbecile so big as to believe in what you said, yes?'

Gray had closed himself off again. Natsu could see it in the way his eyes turned cold, the dark blue gaining a certain iciness to it. Gray's whole demeanour had changed, his shoulders tensing and his back straightening as though bracing for an attack. All softness was gone from his features, and once again Gray was the hard, suspicious man he had first met. The drastic change shocked him into the realisation that he had indeed lost the trust of this reserved man, and was unlikely to ever gain it again, should he prove to be the good person Natsu believed him to be. The mere idea of it made him sick.

'No, you have to listen to me, I never meant to…'

'You are getting along well, I see.'

Natsu's hasty explanation was cut short as the door swung open, revealing an indomitable woman with a brilliant head of scarlet hair. Erza the Titania marched in, eyes hard and unreadable.

'Before I can allow any more conversation to pass between you two, though, I regret to say you must be examined first.'

'I have a say in the matter, of course.'

'No, you do not. If you refuse to be subject to examination, you are to have all relevant memories erased, and to be sent away as soon as practicable. During the time you may stay here, you shall be allowed no further contact with anyone, go nowhere, and you must leave once your wounds have been properly treated.'

Gray stared at Erza strangely, his eyes widened in surprise. Then almost wonderingly, he replied: 'Um, I meant that in the rhetorical sense. I think I know I don't have an option.'

'Erza doesn't have a sense of rhetoric; she doesn't understand sarcasm, so you had best not use it with her.'

Natsu's quip died down quickly at the glare Erza sent his way.

'Silence! You were told not to communicate with this man before he has been examined.'

'Yes, Erza.' Despite how terrified he was at the warning in her voice, Natsu still felt the irrational compulsion to say one more thing. Natsu Dragneel had always been weak to impulses, so he heard himself saying: 'And his name is Gray, in case you need to refer to him again.'

Erza did not deign to give that an answer. Instead, she turned to stare at Gray long and hard. Natsu wasn't sure, but there was something flickering through her eyes, and that in itself was frightening enough. Erza was never uncertain of anything. Gray, on the other hand, remained calm even in the face of this woman who held so much power and who relished in showing it. Even now, with her back straight and her head held high, she was staring down at the sitting Gray. It was Erza's way of asserting her dominance. Yet, Gray was still as water. His eyes were cold, calculated almost, silently challenging the threat that was Erza. It would have been an admirable thing but for its sheer futility.

'Very well. It is best that I explain to you what I meant by "examine".'

'It involves having someone delve into your mind, does it not? A little reminiscent of mind rape, or so I'm told.'

It was Erza's turn to be surprised. Natsu, too, was taken aback by this man's knowledge of the matter. Gray was obviously well acquainted with the world of magic, it seemed.

'Yes, it does involve having someone examine your mind in order to detect lies, deceit, or general bad faith. However, it is different from mind rape, as you so coarsely put it. In the case of examination, we seek merely to ascertain your state of mind. Your secrets, if guarded, even on a subconscious level, will be free from intrusion, unless they involve harming us, in which case they will be reflected through your ill will. What we do not do, however, is to seek to pry into your private thoughts, or to control you through your mind. In the regrettable case that you intend to lie to us, however, it may well come to this "mind rape" you speak of. What we can promise, though, is that we will not intentionally intrude into your privacy unless there is evidence of dishonesty.'

Again, Gray raised an eyebrow, before muttering something about wasting his irony on an uptight woman. It was to his luck that Erza did not hear him.

'I consent to this examination of yours. When can it begin?'

Gray's eyes were hard when he gave his answer. In truth, it worried Natsu a little, because this man appeared to be prepared even for something so intrusive as a mental examination. It could only mean two things. Either that Gray simply didn't care, or that he really was hiding something important and was therefore prepared for the worst. For some reasons, Natsu hoped it was the former; he truly didn't want to have to hurt this man.

'Immediately after I have conferred with Natsu first. Please excuse us.'

Natsu was then pulled out of the room by an armored hand on his shoulder. The door shut heavily behind their backs, and then Erza was looming over him, dark shadows covering her face. It made him feel small and helpless, just as he had felt every time Erza was angry. This time, though, Erza wasn't angry. She was _furious_.

'What were you thinking, Natsu?! You vouched for a stranger with your father, the great _dragon_ Igneel! How do you know he's not going to be spying on us? How do you know he's not part of Zeref's imperial army? Have you taken no heed of our advice to _think_ before acting?! By the gods, this man could have been weaseling information out of you! What have you _told _him?'

Natsu truly was stiff with fear as he felt the air vibrated with Erza's magic. She could very well punish him if she wished, for she had both the power and the authority to do it. She would have been justified in doing so, too, he mused. Natsu started to recall what he had let slip in his negligence.

'I didn't tell him that much, I don't think. I told him my name, and about Igneel being my adoptive father, after my mother died. A little about my mother. I also said that we had to kill his pursuers because they saw us.' And then, the most important thing hit him like a brick. Natsu felt sick. 'Oh, oh, Erza, I swore not to harm Gray on my honour as a dragon rider! The demons confound it, I… I swore it to him, Erza!'

'You did _what_?!'

Erza's bellow shook the stone as her grip on his shoulder nearly crushed his bones. In one single impressive display of strength, she lifted Natsu's body up with a single hand on his shoulder and shook him as she would a rag doll.

'You _swore _to a stranger you just met that you would not harm him?!'

'Per… Perhaps not swore, but promised…'

'What difference does it make?!'

'A promise is something a little less…'

'Natsu, you will stop spouting excuses at of this moment, or I solemnly swear I shall obliterate your existence here and now, dragon rider or not.' Erza drew in a deep breath, smoothed a hand down her face once, before releasing her grip on Natsu and letting him fall to the ground in a heap. 'You break a vow, and people spit on you, and excommunicate you, and brand you oath-breaker for all of eternity. You break a promise, and people regard you as worthless scum wherever you may go, whoever you may be; no, it is precisely because you are a _dragon rider_ that you will fall lower than filth. Is that a better option? To have shit for honour?'

Natsu was still stunned from the realisation that had just dawned upon him. It was something he never thought of, and it struck a cord deep within him. Natsu Dragneel was raised to be honourable, and he would keep it that way even if it killed him. Yet, here he was, making a casual promise to a casual stranger, uncaring of the consequences it would have on the honour he cherished so much. His self-hatred was breath-taking. Perhaps Erza would have been doing the guild a favour in erasing his pathetic existence as a dragon rider, after all.

Then, another thought struck him, deeper than the first. It made him bolt upright to grasp at Erza's upper arms with numb fingers.

'Erza, Erza, I didn't break my promise, right? I told him I may kill him were he found an enemy. Oh, the demons confound it, I didn't break my promise, did I?'

For a long moment, the Titania regarded him coolly, her expression betraying none of her wrath. It was as though the raging Erza had gone away, giving space to this calmly brewing storm. Her silence was more terrifying than her violence; Natsu could feel his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach.

'No, Natsu, you didn't break your promise, although you came very close.' At long last, heavy words stumbled out. 'You do realise, though, that if we _do _find him an enemy, you still can't touch him.'

'Won't release by changed circumstances work?' Natsu was desperate now. The thought of soiling his, and Igneel's, honour, was almost too much.

'Drastic unforeseen circumstances, yes. But you made the promise knowing this man could be an enemy _precisely_ to show that you would take that risk.'

The unsaid implication of Erza's words stabbed deeper than if she had just said it out loud, that Natsu could not retract his words said in carelessness now. It was a bitter thing to realise, how badly he had failed everyone in the guild by promising a complete stranger his abstention from harm. Natsu felt like a reject; his repeated mistakes had just reached its apex.

From within his dark thoughts, though, determination suddenly solidified into steel. He would break his words if he had to. If this Gray really would hurt his guild, his only family, Natsu would kill him. And then Natsu would die to atone for it. Deep inside, though, he hoped that the situation never descend to that level. Natsu believed that Gray was a good person; he wanted to believe it. It was more of an instinct than reason, but then again Natsu had always listened to his instincts. He only wished for them to be correct when it mattered the most.

'It may not be necessary to talk about nullifying this promise yet, and a man of honour would not speak of such a matter so lightly. Come, first let us walk him to Igneel and find out whether he is to be trusted as you said.'

Silently, they made their way back into the little cell. Gray was still there, his guard again raised to its peak. Natsu could see it in the way his shoulders were tensing up again, and the way he pointedly held his head a little higher, as though daring Natsu and Erza to underestimate him. It was then that Natsu remembered; it was this man's fiery obstinacy belied by his stoic exterior that had caught Natsu's eyes when they first met. He said nothing, though, and Gray stood and walked out without sparing him even a glance when Erza gestured towards the door.

The walk to the great hall took what seemed like forever. Natsu led the way, followed by Gray, with Erza closing last. They filed up the spiral staircase to the ground level – because the bastard had to be right in guessing that they had been underground – and travelled three other stony corridors to get to the hall, each longer than the last. Natsu had walked these corridors all his life, yet right then they had never felt more claustrophobic. He dreaded the moment Gray met Igneel, but at the same time he just wanted the wait to be over with. _Jittery as a mouse, and you call yourself a rider. _The derisive thought did not help with his dark mood.

At long last, a vast space opened before them. The great hall was lit brighter than even the outside world by the orb that contained Igneel's fire that was embedded to the ceiling. In the middle of the hall, directly beneath said orb, was his adoptive father Igneel. He stood tall and regal like the emperor he was, his head held high and his powerful tail curled about his hind legs. No matter how many times Natsu watched his father, no matter how many years he had spent at Igneel's side, he could never truly get over how magnificent the dragon was. Igneel was the last relics of the legend that was the dragons who once ruled Earthland, yet even then, his mere presence bespoke the lost ages of the past. The entire building trembled whenever Igneel opened his mouth to speak.

'Welcome, child. I am the dragon Igneel, son of Igneas Brightflame, son of Igneel the Great before him.'

'Greetings, great dragon. My name is Gray. Oh, and I mean no disrespect, but your companions don't seem to take very kindly to the idea of welcoming me.'

Igneel's laugh literally shook the hall while a stream of flame inadvertently escaped from his nostril, making Gray jump back in alarm. Natsu and Erza, having been used to his father's destructive habits over the years, merely stepped aside with practised sufferance and waited for the fit of roaring laughter to pass. Slowly, as the rumbling died down, huge eyes blinked once, before the corners of Igneel's mouth hitched up into a smile that showed _all _of his teeth. His _massive _teeth.

'My apologies. You truly are an interesting human child. It has been a very long while since a human has met me for the first time and not be scared right out of his pants.'

'I know what I saw, honourable Igneel. You live, even as none of your kind does. For the loss of the mighty dragons, though, I truly am sorry. It is a great loss of a great kind – the greatest of us all, even.'

'Your condolences are appreciated. Although, I must say, when I mentioned "scared", I did not mean it to be in the sense of scared of the walking dead.'

'In that case, I suppose I have my extraordinary valiance to thank?'

Igneel blinked again, before one of his eyes narrowed, instantly casting a menacing look to his angular face. Igneel, however jovial he may be acting, was a dragon, after all. Even from where he stood, Natsu could see Gray's ears colouring again in shame. The man rarely misspoke, but when he did, it was easy to see. It was a deadly trait to have on a spy. With all his heart, Natsu hoped that Gray wasn't one, for both of their sakes.

'Forgive me. Bad habits are difficult to kill. I mean only that a silly child such as myself cannot hope to comprehend your capabilities. A child fears not what he knows not.'

At that, Igneel snorted out a laugh again, and again a blinding stream of flame hot enough to melt steel poured out, licking at the same spot on the floor. Then, good-naturedly, he patted the ground in front of him.

'No offence taken, young one. However, for what it's worth, you should perhaps watch your words, lest they become the banal flatter so unbecoming of you. You are a brave man; that false propriety would prohibit you from admitting it doesn't change this fact. Come closer, please, so we may begin our examination. After that, well, my _companions _may come to welcome you well enough.'

Wordlessly, Gray obeyed. He gingerly stepped around the still smoking scorch mark on the floor towards Igneel. If Natsu had not been impressed with this man before, he definitely was now, for he remained cool even upon meeting face-to-face with a lost myth. Even the mighty Erza had lost her composure for a brief moment when she had first laid eyes on Igneel, going so far as to call upon her magic in her fluster. And yet, this strange man didn't even flinch as Igneel bent down to touch Gray's forehead with his own. Sure enough, Natsu could see, through the flimsy fabric of his shirt, every one of the man's muscles on his back moving and locking as he stood ramrod straight. His hands were again curled into fists, mindless of the newly wrapped bandages around his fingers. With Natsu's sensitive hearing, he could also hear how Gray inhaled forcefully, before swallowing and letting the air escape him in a whoosh. And then, Gray was off to fight Igneel in his head.

For a while, the two were so still that they could have been passed for statues. Igneel's brilliant eyes were closed, his initial bend having turned into a hunch for comfort. Gray, on the other hand, remained stiff the whole time their foreheads stayed connected. Blood had seeped through the layers of linen, slowly colouring his hands a sickly red. Yet, the man did not even seem to register the pain.

Natsu was growing restless by the seconds. Glancing to his side, he could see Erza's fingers twitching, as though itching for her swords, even as the rest of her body was as rigid as Igneel and Gray. It was strange, and it was almost droll how she acted as if she was the one being 'mind raped' and not Gray. _Or it might just be you who's dying to see it finished_, his mind whispered treacherously. As an authority on his own mental state, his mind was, of course, correct. Natsu yearned to know what was happening within the battlefield of Gray's mind, whether Igneel was finding out what he so dreaded, whether Gray really was having his most private corners pried apart and read like an open book.

From his personal trainings with Igneel, Natsu knew what it was like to have his mind examined. If the examiner merely wanted to ascertain that there was no ill will or deceit, it was simple enough. It was uncomfortable, as though having something constantly poking at his person, only ten times worse. Having someone trying to delve into his positive thoughts, though, was a different creature altogether. It was a terrible feeling, maybe reminiscent of having his eye gouged out with a dull spoon, or worse. It hurt like nothing did on such a primal level, and it hurt more if he resisted the prying by someone incomparably stronger like Igneel. For an instant that Igneel breached his defences, Natsu had felt his sanity slip from him like sand through the gaps between his fingers. He never wanted to experience that again, and he wished Gray didn't have to go through it. No one should have to go through such a horrific way of torturing – no manner of physical pain could compare to the agony of having one's mind ripped apart. Fate, at least, was merciful in granting so few the power to 'mind rape'.

An ear-splitting scream jerked Natsu out of his reverie. His head whipped up, and before his eyes he saw Gray pushed himself away from Igneel with a violent shove to the dragon's colossal head. He staggered, found his footing, and swayed on the spot for a single unsettling moment, before his knees suddenly gave out under him. Quick as lightning, Natsu was at the man's side catching him before he could hit the floor. With his arms firmly around Gray's torso, he could feel how Gray's shirt was drenched in cold sweat. The man's skin itself was clammy and unnaturally cold, and when Natsu turned Gray's face, his eyes were already tightly closed.

Natsu's heart hit his throat in what was his greatest fright of the day.


	3. Chapter 2: Temptation

Author's note: Thank you everyone for your support thus far. I apologise for the delay in updates despite saying that it's summer already, but there have been a few, say, preoccupations. All the same, I am glad you like the story. Nori: the mind reading thing is supposed to be painful; Natsu is just surprised because Gray is so stubborn he refuses to make a sound even when pained (and I certainly hope I got my portrayal of Gray across) and then suddenly he's screaming out loud. I'll clear up the plot and explain issues and concepts as we go along, no worries.

Not so much action in this chapter; just mostly romance for my own entertainment. There will probably be more actions and developments in the next one, though. Enjoy.

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**Chapter two: Temptation**

Gray was drifting in and out of consciousness. But even in his floating state, he could feel his mind throbbing from the lingering pain of the examination. It was a deep throb that went to his bones, except that it weren't his bones that were hurting; it was his very consciousness, his sense of self. It kept him from fully losing himself to a coma; it even kept him from falling asleep, and Gray could feel his sanity slipping from him with the mental exhaustion. There were times when he could see images swimming before his eyes, the face of an elderly woman, a burning hand on his forehead, a flash of pink that blurred into nothing. Other times, only the pain accompanied him. Once, he could feel something like burning on what he guessed were his fingers, but Gray couldn't be sure, not with the way the fog in his mind refused to clear up.

However, there were short spells when he found himself awake, too. Not coherent, perhaps, but awake nonetheless. It was during one of those flashes that Gray found himself propped up, his head lolling against the crook of someone's neck. He could feel how his jaws were slack from his position, and then there was a spoonful of something vile being inserted between his lips.

Gray choked and spluttered when the taste registered – to say that it reminded him of horse piss would probably be an insult to horse piss. Vaguely, he remembered there was a hand rubbing his back, before his head fell back into place, feeling like it was splitting into two. Swimming before his eyes was something pink again, followed by a face. Gray was certain he knew this face; he just wasn't sure to whom it belonged.

'I know it tastes like shit, but you have to drink it if you want to keep your fingers, Gray. It's to fight the infection.'

Gray knew this voice. _If they find you to be an enemy, well, you shall see _with your own eyes_ what a dragon rider can do._

He pushed weakly at the person holding him in place, but pain lanced up his arms and he felt himself flopping bonelessly onto the bed. Natsu growled at his petty resistance.

'Stop fighting me, moron! I promised you I wouldn't harm you, didn't I? It's not poison! If I had wanted you to die, I need but leave you to exposure, and the vultures would've done the rest.'

Gray felt like an imbecile for still trying to be stubborn in the pathetic state he was in. He knew it wasn't because he didn't trust Natsu; if the honour of dragon riders still meant anything in the world, Gray would be safe. No, he was angry for such an inconsequent reason as being mocked by him, and it made Gray feel silly just thinking about it. The thought didn't linger for long, though, because pain was surfacing again, both from the tear in his mind and the burning on his fingers.

He was pulled back up again, and this time, Gray realised that he was being propped against Natsu's shoulder, with a muscular arm around him to complete the humiliation. He was too tired to resist, though, so when the putrid medicine was offered again, it was all he could to do swallow without choking. In his opinion, it still tasted like horse piss, and when he was well again, Gray would make sure Natsu have a taste of his own medicine in more ways than one.

'Wine. Or sleeping draught.' His tongue felt thick and clumsy in his mouth, and Gray would have been horrified to find out that he couldn't formulate a complete sentence had he the strength.

'Huh?'

The way Natsu blinked owlishly at him was irritating, too. He didn't want to have to tell him that he couldn't sleep because of the pain; whatever was left of his pride, Gray was determined to keep it.

'Look, Polyushka said you can't drink anything except for your medicine and water. If you can eat, I'll get you some porridge, but that's it. So finish your medicine quickly so I can tell her that you're awake, and then get you that porridge. You've eaten nothing in days.'

Gray wanted to shout at the dimwit. Each sound grated against his sensitive hearing, and his head felt like there was a sledgehammer pounding against it. His eyes were blurring from the effort of staying semi-upright, too, so he ignored the jumble of words and simply rolled over, very much intending on going back to his more or less coma.

'Gray. Gray!' Natsu wouldn't give up, of course, and he rolled Gray over again, so that he was lying on his back. 'Come now, at least finish your medicine, or I _will_ force-feed it to you. You must have the whole vial.'

Gray blinked open his weary eyes, and saw the half-full vial of something blue being waved in front of his face. He decided that it wasn't worth it, and closed his eyes again.

'Gray! Bastard, don't make me do this!' When Gray ignored him further, Natsu finally snapped. 'Very well, then, you can't blame me later. This is just to save you, you hear me?'

It was quiet, and then his lips were forcefully pried open, and the unmistakably pungent potion flowed down his throat. Gray had no choice but to swallow, which he did, if he didn't want to choke to death. What made him want to choke even more, though, was the fact that there was something wet and _moving _inside his mouth as well. His eyes snapped open, and right before him, pressing against him, was Natsu.

_He's _kissing _me. By the gods, this man is kissing me!_

Gray couldn't tell if it was horror or something else that he was feeling, but he knew that he'd regret it were he to wake up again and remember this. Before he could pull away or swing at Natsu, though, the man had already pulled back. He upended the vial for the last spoonfuls, before swooping in again. It was too quick, too determined, and Gray in his weakened state never had a chance to evade anyway. What he could do, though, was to clench his jaws and resist in the only way he could. Which Gray did, too, before there were fingers pressing into the joints at his jaws to force his mouth open.

'Fuc…' He was going to curse at Natsu, but the medicine was flowing into his mouth again, followed by a tongue that wouldn't let him spit it back out. And then… And then Natsu moved his lips, and his tongue brushed against Gray's own. With another jolt of horror, it dawned upon Gray that what he was feeling was pleasure that raced down his spine in blinding waves despite how his head ached. And then he finally fell into sleep, feeling even more mentally exhausted than when the dragon Igneel had torn his psyche open.

Gray was surprised to be feeling better when he woke up again. The crippling pain in his head had subsided, although his fingers still throbbed. His mind was hazy at first, but before long the memories of what happened returned to him. He began to doubt whether what had transpired between Natsu and him in that brief moment of wakefulness had been real. However, the thought that it was a figment of fantasy his fever-addled mind came up with was even more unsettling. _I am too tired to be thinking about this_, he thought, all the while knowing that he was just running from his own insights. It had felt too real to be a mere hallucination or a fantasy. Even then, his lips still tingled from the phantom touches. Gray had never been one to doubt his own mind, so he wouldn't be starting a precedent now, either.

_Even so, that can wait. It was just to save me, anyhow._

Breathing deeply, he slowly rolled himself into a sitting position. The room about him spun at first, before it slowly stopped moving long enough for Gray to take in his surroundings. He was in another stone room, but it was much more spacious than the cell he had been put in when he first arrived. There was an empty desk, a dresser, and an orb on the ceiling that glowed softly, much like the one in the great hall with the dragon, only less luminous. On the floor, clothing was strewn in every direction. The walls, too, were covered with odds and ends that made his head swim just trying to decipher what each article was. It was clearly a room used by a permanent resident.

'Oh, you are awake.'

Gray's head whipped up at the voice, so quickly that his vision began to spin again. Yet, he refused to back down from the threat. Pressing a hand to his eye, he forced his wobbly legs to stand up into a defensive position. It was futile, he knew, but it would have been an even bigger joke to let himself be helpless again in this man's presence, after the humiliation that he had been so thoroughly put through. Gray didn't care much for further helplessness.

'Careful, now. Don't you collapse on me again.' Natsu was, of course, oblivious. 'How many times must I say it to get it through to you? I won't harm you, as I promised!'

'Someone made me a similar promise once, and then went on to threaten to kill me immediately after.' Gray heard himself croaking, but he ignored it. 'Now I find it quite difficult to trust such a promise. I can't imagine why.'

The contrite look that passed through Natsu's countenance satisfied his petty petulance while making him feel like a fool at the same time. It would have made him laugh but for the fear of keeling over when his knees buckled beneath him.

'Look, I…' Natsu inhaled and exhaled once, before firmly turning to look Gray in the eye. 'I apologise. I wasn't thinking when saying it. I never meant to mock you; blast it, I even vouched for your innocence before Igneel! In the end he found you guiltless, didn't he?!'

Out of nowhere, Gray felt his own temper flaring. He clenched and unclenched his hands, almost flinching at the sharp stab of pain that shot up.

'Oh, so it's my fault now, is it? You are right, dragon rider. None of this would have happened had you not saved me in the first place!'

In the blink of an eye, Natsu was suddenly in front of him, his forehead touching Gray's as he snarled into his face. The dragon rider looked furious.

'Stop this nonsense. You're behaving so childishly, I would have beaten you black and blue were you my friend.'

'That's rich coming from the _rider_ who can't even apologise properly.'

Natsu bulled over him, though, 'Listen, and listen well, I would've saved you even if you didn't want it, ingrate! _That_'s how much I meant it when I said I wouldn't harm you!'

The fierceness with which Natsu explained his actions took Gray aback. This man wasn't merely a straightforward man; he was a stupidly good man, as Gray had suspected. _Not to mention that he's too close._ Gray could feel the puffs of the man's breath on his face. He took an uneasy step back.

'And if Igneel had found me to be lying? Tell me, Natsu Dragneel, what would you have done then?'

Natsu, too, seemed to be realising their compromising position, and backed off. He swallowed, looked away in guilt, before gnashing his teeth together. Gray could see the way his jaws moved, and it amused him like nothing else did. _That's right, because you would've broken your promise, rider. Like you could have done otherwise. So much for honour. _Inexplicably, the thought brought a bitter taste to his lips.

'I would have killed you, or let my guild mates kill you, at the very least.' Gray was surprised for the second time by the certainty with which Natsu replied to his question. 'But for breaking my promise, I would die to wash my honour clean.'

'You would _die _for a promise you made with a complete stranger?'

'Yes.'

There was no hesitation when Natsu answered. Abruptly, Gray started laughing. He laughed long and hard, as though he was a madman, or as though what Natsu was saying was all a particularly entertaining jest. His throat hurt, and his head hurt, and Gray swayed on the spot for an instant before collapsing back onto the bed. There, he rolled onto his side to regain his breath.

'Why did you laugh?'

Gray could hear the frown in Natsu's voice rather than see it. He rolled back, a biting smirk at the ready.

'For a split second there I almost believed you.'

_For a split second there I actually believed you. I _wanted _to believe you._

Natsu seemed poised to argue, the beginning of a growl escaping from his throat. He held back though, and merely set down a tray onto the night table. On it was the familiar vial with the blue potion, but next to it was also a steaming bowl of wheat porridge and a glass of water. Gray's face involuntarily twisted in disgust at the sight.

'No.' He said, fully intending on following his word.

'Yes, you will drink it, or I will force-feed it to you again.' It was more of a statement than a threat, although Gray couldn't be sure if the tint of pink to Natsu's cheeks was due to embarrassment or anger. 'Sit up. You were well enough to stand earlier.'

_It was just force-feeding. It was just to save me._ Gray repeated to himself, feeling very much like a liar. He was still angry, and half-indignant at the way Natsu was giving him orders. The rational part of his mind, though, knew that it was for his own health if he complied, and so he did. Thank the gods Gray still had a functioning brain, unlike _someone_ who always acted without thinking first. He sat up, took the vial, and poured everything down his throat in a single draught. It left him unbelievably nauseous.

'Eat.'

Natsu was ordering him again. Gray hated it with a passion, yet he dared not open his mouth to tell the other man where he could shove his command for fear of vomiting and wasting his efforts in forcing the vile drink down in the first place. There were other ways, though, so Gray frowned and made a rude gesture with his hands. It was satisfying to see Natsu seethe at his obstinacy.

'Gray. We're not playing a game. If you would just stop acting like a sullen child for a moment, we can clear this misunderstanding and get some strength back in you. Igneel also recommended that you join us, so you had best recover so we can start training you.' Natsu's face darkened, 'One way or another, I will have you eat that bowl of porridge.'

The mention of joining them, whoever they were, piqued his curiosity. It was obvious that they needed to keep their hideout secret, and that they were a large guild. Gray had suspected that they were wanted by the empire as well, judging from how tightly they guarded their presence. The fact that Natsu mentioned 'joining' now confirmed that, and Gray suddenly found himself interested in what this purported guild had to offer. Perhaps they could even serve his goal. At the same time, he was still angry at Natsu, and so much more at himself for behaving in the childish way he did. Truly, he felt no more than a spoiled brat who could not let go of the tiniest slight. _See how I finally learnt, father? Now I won't even forgive unintentional words spoken in distress by the man who saved my life, thank you very much._

Like with everything else, though, Gray's mule-headedness had to get in the way of his rational thoughts, and he stood back with a sort of morbid satisfaction to watch it play out for a short while. He made sure that he could speak again without vomiting the moment he opened his mouth, before actually doing it.

'And I said no. If you think you can molest me again with such a paltry excuse, well, you overestimated yourse…'

Before Gray could finish his sentence, though, he suddenly found himself pinned down on the bed on his back. Natsu was straddling him, his weight pressing down to keep him immobile, and the dragon rider growled into his face. But Gray wasn't going to give up without a fight; it was more of a habit than anything else. He took a swing at Natsu.

'You are weak. Much weaker than when you first woke on your first day here.' Natsu stated matter-of-factly as he caught Gray's wrist with no effort at all. 'Stop being stupid and eat. Or if you won't, I'll "molest" you again, and _there'll be nothing you can do about it_.'

'Try me. I'll bite your tongue off if it gets anywhere near my mouth again.'

Gray wondered if Natsu felt gross as he was threatening all that. However, above all, he wondered why he himself didn't feel as disgusted as he should be when they talked about mouth-to-mouth feeding between two men, who were complete strangers at that. There must be something wrong with him; that, or whatever it was that they made him drink was making Gray lose his wits.

And then, for how many times he had lost count, Natsu managed to surprise Gray again. With a determined look on his face, Natsu leaned down again, and Gray found himself assaulted for the second time in the most unimaginable way possible. He tried to struggle, but his empty stomach grumbled and his arms failed him when he needed them the most. Next came his heart, which hammered against his chest despite the lack of energy, before his mind finally joined the mutiny against him. It shut down, and Gray could feel a blank taking over his consciousness as the tongue he promised to bite off snaked its way into his mouth again.

'Hmphet offphm!'

His shout was muffled, and when Gray tried to bite down, the tongue stayed despite the tang of blood. Natsu, he realised, was also a stubborn man, perhaps even more so than Gray himself, and he wouldn't back off. Not this time. And there was nothing he could do, what with his hands being held down in iron clamps and Natsu challenging him to bite his tongue off for real. Even when he tried to lean back, the man was following his movement, lips gluing to Gray's own with all his weight put into the move.

The real horror, though, was when Gray tried to buck his hips to dislodge Natsu. The almost intimate instance of touching between their bodies woke something within Gray, something that he was too afraid of to name. His heart quivered at the thought, so he bit down harder on the foreign tongue in his mouth, trying to ignore the way it rubbed against his own tongue in that almost sensual manner. _Running away again, Gray Fullbuster? _Natsu inhaled sharply at that, yet he wouldn't let up. If anything, he pushed down more, lips moving over Gray's own even more aggressively. _Why won't you let go? _More blood was flowing down his throat, mixing in with the acrid taste the potion left to create a potent lethe on which Gray was slowly becoming intoxicated. _Why can't I ever resist you?_

His mind swam even as Natsu let go of his wrists to cradle his face. The hands were a strangely good burning, Gray noticed, before he also noticed that he was now free to hit his assailant with all his strength. Perhaps, just to run away for a little while longer, Gray did precisely that. The crack resounded throughout the hollow of the room as Natsu fell beside him, caught by surprise by the sudden full swing.

'Ice Make: Dagger!'

The familiar tingle of magic ran through his body in a reassuring flow, through his core, his chest, his arms, out of the positioning of his hands to take shape. Cold and colder it got, before ice formed out of nothing, welded into being through Gray's life force. It was a simple dagger, but it would do. Gray flipped to pin Natsu down with his whole body weight.

'Do not think I won't make good on my promise this time, dragon rider.' He hissed at those stunned eyes. The dagger was pressed against the man's throat, hard enough to bleed, yet not nearly enough to kill. 'Does it amuse you to take advantage of a weakened man? Sodomy, really? I've never realised how low the mighty dragon riders can fall nowadays. It makes me sick!'

Venom dripped from his words, and it stung. Or it must have, judging from the way Natsu's eyes widened. _Yes, dragon rider, feel the humiliation, for how you have humiliated me, turning my own body against myself. _

Yet again, the dragon rider Natsu Dragneel managed to catch Gray by surprise even when it was he who had the upper hand at last. Instead of shying away from the blade drawing blood at his throat, the man pushed up and towards the razor edge. This man was defiant, Gray realised too late, and a trickle of red ran from the knife's kiss.

'Do _not _insult the dragon riders! I was wrong in forcing myself on you; I apologise for it. Retaliate if you want – take my tongue off if you want; I deserve it. But do _not_ for one moment think I will forgive an insult on the riders in general!'

'Or what, you'll kill me, _rider_?'

Natsu opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish, before Gray caught a fleck of guilt flitting through dark eyes. It was interesting to watch Natsu squirm, anger and indecision warring in each twitching of his features. His jaws tightened, before becoming slack with abrupt realisation.

'You can use magic!'

Gray watched the man underneath him a moment longer, before pulling away. His arms were shaking anyhow, and Gray refused to let Natsu see any more of his weakness. He rolled over and turned to sit on the edge of the bed, presenting his back to Natsu. The dagger in his hand vanished to thin air as his magic receded, sucking with it the last ounces of energy he could muster. Yet, despite the absolute exhaustion claiming his limbs, Gray's mind still raced in endless circles. Even after he had been forcefully kissed by a man, he didn't know what to do with Natsu, or with himself, for that matter. He should have been out for blood, but here he was, dismissing his weapon when it was his only chance to kill, and wasn't that grand indeed?

Slowly, Natsu sat up, and Gray could feel rather than see the hand coming up to touch the angry red line decorating his neck.

'Look, I'm sorry. I…'

When the rider faltered, Gray let him. The awkward silence stretched out impossibly long in the void between them. It was the sound of the door creaking open that ended the conundrum of sulking they were caught in.

'Natsu? Oh.'

The woman who stepped in was beautiful. Long blonde hair flowed past her shoulders in brilliant locks, complemented by the honey brown of her eyes. A heart-shaped face, small nose and full lips, she was the picture of innocent charms. Her ceremonial robes swished as she moved in graceful steps, each one jingling with the chain of keys worn around her neck. They shone even in the low light of the room, and Gray quickly counted all twelve of them.

'My apologies. I did not mean to disturb.' The woman looked perplexed. 'Should I come back later?'

'No, Lucy. You came at just the right time.' It was Natsu who spoke. He rose from the bed and stepped down to embrace the woman, kissing her on both cheeks. Gray spied those lovely cheeks flushing a pretty crimson, and suddenly found himself irritated for no reason. 'Meet Gray, our newest guild member. Gray, this is Lucy Heartphilia, daughter of Jude the Shrewd, High Priestess of The Twelve, and proud guild member of the guild Fairy Tail.'

Gray did not know at which piece of news he should be dumb-founded first, the fact that he was staying within the most wanted guild in the whole empire, the fact that he was meeting with the High Priestess, or the fact that said High Priestess was a wanted criminal. Finally, he settled for putting on his familiar mask, and stood only to kneel again before the Priestess.

'Your Holiness.'

Lucy Heartphilia, perhaps having been used to such acts of worship, accepted the gesture calmly. She smiled, and Gray saw that it was gracious, before bending to help Gray up with gentle hands on his wrists.

'Please, Gray. We are guild mates now, and as equals, I must ask you not to treat me so. It embarrasses me. Save the ceremony for when we are in public, but then you must treat me accordingly if you want us both to stay alive.'

'But… How? You really are the High Priestess! You have all twelve keys!'

'Well, that is a story for later, I promise. Know only now that I wish, as everyone here does, to restore justice to this corrupted empire. You are here too for that purpose, no?'

_Actually, I don't know about that. Maybe I just want to spite a man I despise._

'Yes, of course. In a sense, I ended up here by accident, but the empire is my enemy, your Holiness. I was running away from the empire itself, and Natsu here saved me from falling to my death.' Gray said instead. He almost started to wonder why it was so easy for him to lie to this holy woman whom he was supposed to worship, before he caught himself. The gods could punish him if they wished; Gray wanted nothing more to do with his own psyche, especially in its current traitorous state.

'Not "your Holiness", please. Within these walls, I'm just Lucy.'

There it was again, that pretty blush. She truly was lovely, so Gray couldn't quite understand why he only felt sour when Lucy directed a shy glance at the dragon rider next to her while blushing. The worst part of it, of course, was that his frustration was aimed not at the said dragon rider.

'Should I warmly embrace you and greet you with kisses on the cheek now, then?'

Gray had meant for it to be friendly teasing, a harmless sort of banter between 'equals' as she insisted, yet it came out wrong. Lucy's blush bloomed so brilliantly it was as though her cheeks were burning up, but this time, it was terror that reigned over her features. It was fear of being caught, Gray realised, for the High Priestess for The Twelve could never escape her own vow of celibacy, and yet here she was. Her eyes darted towards Natsu again as she took an involuntary step back. Just then, though, something else caught her eyes, and she latched onto the man, her fears and her holy vows completely forgotten in the blink of an eye.

'Natsu! What happened to your neck? You need a bandage!'

With barely concealed annoyance, the rider brushed her concerns aside, all the while trying to be gentle about it and failing.

'It's nothing, Lucy. I caused this myself in, uh, confusion. The bleeding will stop shortly.' Natsu was avoiding his eyes, Gray knew, yet he himself couldn't stop gluing his own to the rider to observe every one of his movements. 'More importantly, please tell this mule he needs to eat. He's a religious man; he'll listen to you.'

It was brief, yet Gray felt it all the same. He felt like crying.

'No need; I will not trouble the High Priestess over such triviality. I will eat, and then I will tour the guild. As for joining it, I am yet uncertain, so please refrain from calling me your guild mate.' Then, as an afterthought, 'May I have a minute?'

When Lucy made to leave even as bewilderment shone through her gaze, while Natsu seemed reluctant to do the same, he added through gritted teeth: 'Alone, if you will.'

Black eyes hardened, but Natsu obeyed. He left with a soft click of the door. It was only then that Gray allowed himself to collapse on the bed. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. The guild Fairy Tail, Gray tried to remind himself, the one thing that would help him defeat his father. However, it was only pink hair and a hurt look that Gray remembered. He lifted his head to gawk at his surroundings again. A messy room; a single man's room. There was also a queer smell to it, almost like burning sulfur on sandalwood. The scent fixed itself to the air, the bed, the walls. When Gray took a tentative sniff at the pillows he had been lying on, it overwhelmed his senses in waves of soothing calm that left him powerless. It was then that realisation struck him. Only one man he knew smelled like that. It was Natsu's room, and Gray had been in it at least since before he woke up the first time, with no one but Natsu to care for him and tend to his needs while he was busy being dead weight.

Gray let out a bark of laughter, before doubling over as pain laced his empty stomach and bile rose in his throat. Shakily, he reached for the now cold bowl. The porridge tasted bland, and he nearly retched it up again. Yet, Gray remained stubborn and resisted. He swallowed every bite, and drank his water like a good obedient child. He also pretended that his eyes weren't wet, and that he wasn't drawn even more to this strange man and his foolish kindness.

_Join the guild, genius. And try to stay alive when they ask to skin you alive upon discovering that you are your father's son. Thank you father, for gifting me with another problem to deal with. _

Gray had made up his mind even before he opened the door again. Natsu and his stupid room could wait. Gray _needed _to focus on his goal, his purpose, or he would be lost again. Natsu was not helping, so he could go have his pick of salacious young men where Gray wouldn't be involved. For why would he – why should he – be concerned with whom the dragon rider consorted with? Gray had an empire to overthrow, and a father to repay a debt. _Yes, and you, Gray Fullbuster, can keep running away from your own filthy desire. Isn't that smart for such a coward? Coveting a man when you really should be more concerned with the fact that he is a lost _dragon bloody rider_, now? _

Gray slammed the door open in a fouler mood than ever.


End file.
